Fulton County Overhauls Animal Control After Fatal Dog Attack

Fulton County, Georgia, has restructured its animal control operations, shifting field enforcement from a nonprofit contractor to sworn law enforcement. The Fulton County Board of Commissioners approved contract changes with Lifeline Animal Project, which manages Fulton County Animal Services, under a revised agreement valued at $7.4 million that takes effect Jan. 1, directing the Fulton County Police Department to handle field service and enforcement calls related to animal control. The restructuring will save the county approximately $1.9 million, according to Mike Rowicki, the county's director of strategy and performance management.

The policy shift follows the August death of Donna Nguyen, 62, of Union City, Georgia. Nguyen died on Aug. 14 after a dog mauling that occurred on Aug. 1, with an incident report from the Fulton County Police Department stating she died from sepsis caused by significant wounds sustained in the attack. No one faces charges in connection with the attack. Fulton County Police Chief Wade W. Yates confirmed that investigators could not determine which dogs were involved or who owned them. The case drew scrutiny not only for its underlying facts but for the institutional failures that followed, as Axios Atlanta reported.

Multiple personnel were terminated in the aftermath. Two Lifeline Animal Project employees and a Union City police officer were fired over their response to the attack. A police report found that Lifeline Animal Project did not alert Fulton County Police about the attack for two weeks, and that Union City police failed to collect evidence at the scene, with the first responding officer delaying the call to handle another incident first. Nguyen's son, Charles Ingram, said a report shows it took an officer 27 minutes to arrive after a neighbor called 911, with the officer diverting to a missing-person call instead. Ingram has contacted a lawyer to explore legal action against the police and county animal services.

Under the terms of the new contract, the Fulton County Police Department assumes primary responsibility for animal control enforcement. The department will respond to animal control calls, covering dog attacks, roaming strays, and animal cruelty cases, while Lifeline continues to manage the county shelter. Police will initially focus on public education, and will pursue criminal charges if they identify continued animal cruelty, according to Fulton County officials who addressed commissioners. Lifeline will also restrict shelter intake to animals found or owned within the county, and all animals must be spayed or neutered before adoption unless a veterinarian documents a medical contraindication.

Rowicki told commissioners that part of the county's animal control strategy relies on controlling its shelter population. The county currently houses approximately 546 animals at the shelter, with another 700 in foster care. The board faces continuing pressure from Nguyen's family, who have retained legal counsel and continue to press for accountability. Fulton County Commission Chairman Rob Pitts stated that police will take a larger role in future animal investigations, saying the department "will now be more actively involved in animal control."

References

[1] Axios Atlanta. (2025, December 22). Fulton County overhauls animal control, shelter operations. https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2025/12/22/fulton-county-animal-control-changes-fatal-dog-mauling

[2] Atlanta News First. (2025, December 17). Fulton County changes how it deals with animal control following deadly mauling. https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/12/fatal-mauling-causes-animal-control-changes-in-fulton-county/

[3] FOX 5 Atlanta. (2025, October 14). No charges in deadly Union City dog attack that killed 62-year-old woman. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/union-city-dog-attack-donna-nguyen-no-charges

[4] WSB-TV Channel 2. (2025, October 7). Georgia woman mauled to death by dogs. The Union City officer who responded is fired. https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/south-fulton-county/woman-is-mauled-death-by-dogs-now-officer-sent-respond-is-fired/CXXMPMA7BFFEZKNPITKIKXSU3Y/

[5] Atlanta News First. (2025, October 13). No charges filed in deadly animal attack due to lack of evidence, Fulton police say. https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/10/13/stream-live-fulton-police-give-update-deadly-union-city-animal-attack/